Bridle-strap for upright pianos



G. l. BECKER.

BRIDLE STRAP FOR UPRIGHT PIANOS.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 10, 1919.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

barren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRIDLE-STRAP UPRIGHT PIANOS.

Application filed February 10, 1919.

' To all whom it may camera.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. BECKER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Straps for Upright Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in bridle straps for upright pianos, and has for an object to provide an improved bridle strap that may be substituted for a Worn out or broken strap without the necessity of dismembering the piano action.

Another object of the present invention resides in providing an improved bridle strap for upright pianos that is simple in construction, capable of easy application to the piano action and one that is so constructed and applied as to be subjected to but little friction and tension and which consequently will resist the usual eflects of usage of such straps.

A further object of the present invention consists in providing an improved bridle strap adapted for connection to the piano action without the use of glue or other fas toning means as is at the present time re quired for this purpose.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully described in connection with the single mechanical embodiment shown in the accom panying drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an improved bridle strap constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the bridle strap in the initial stage of application to a piano action.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the next step in the method of attaching the improved bridle strap.

Fig. 4 is a like View illustrating the next succeeding stage in the application of the bridle strap, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a piano action with the improved bridle strap applied thereto in its final position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the improved bridle strap consists of a tape of suitable material, for instance cotton,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Serial No. 276,157.

having its free ends secured in a tab 1 of leather or other appropriate material, it being preferable that the tab be such as to hold securely when pushed over the bridle wire; the tape being folded on a median line, forming two branches confining a slot or loop at. The branches of the tape are indicated at 2 and 8, said loop and tab forming a unit to operate the back stop of the piano action.

Referring to Fig. 5, 5 designates the butt of an upright piano action, 6 the shank extending out therefrom, and 7 the back stop provided with the opening 8 below the shank 6. At 9 is indicated the felt covering for the back stop 7 and 10 designates the usual felt pad found at the lower end of the back stop. The felt of the butt 5 is indicated at 11. The piano key operates the wippen which carries the jack andthe bridle wire, and the jack operates the butt which carries the shank of the back stop, and it is the loop d that straddles the said shank and causes the piano action to resume its posi tion of rest.

At the present time great difiiculty is experienced in the repair of bridle straps and in the substitution of new straps for those worn out and broken. The use of glue, tacks and other fastening means must be largely resorted to and are found to be ineffectual to hold the straps on the action.

The present invention avoids these difliculties by dispensing with the necessit for glue, tacks or other fastening means anc provides a bridle strap that may be connected to the piano action without taking the same apart. The method of application of the improved bridle strap is clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.. As shown in Fig. 2, the doubled tape 2, 3 is first inserted through the opening 8 in the back stop 7, after which the tape is drawn downwardly in the manner represented in Fig. 3. The branches 2 and 3 of the tape are thereupon spread apart and looped over the back stop 7 as appears in Fig. l. The bight of the loop 4, in its final position, rests upon and embraces the shank 6 as is illustrated in Fig. 5.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that I have provided an improved bridle strap of simple construction that is capable of easy and rapid connection to a piano action without the use of any fastening means and- Which will be stronger and less subject to Wear as compared with bridle straps of present construction.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. An improved bridle strap for pianos comprising a tab, and a tape secured at both ends to the-tab and forming a loop, the tape being of sufficient length to admit the loop passing through the opening in the back stop and subsequently over the back stop onto the shank.

2. An improved bridle strap for pianos comprising a flexible tape folded over upon itself on a median line and forming two branches with a slot or loop defined theresecured to the free ends of the tape for closing the loop and adapted to hang from said free ends of the tape at the outer side of the back stop.

GEORGE J BECKER. 

